Page 143 - AEROSTAT 2023
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In 2023, the global aviation sector witnessed a notable recovery from the signiicant setbacks
caused by Covid-19, with air travel demand nearly returning to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Despite this
progress, the industry faced new macroeconomic and operational challenges, including soaring jet fuel
prices and geopolitical tensions in regions like Ukraine and the Middle East, impacting international
operations. According to IATA, industry-wide demand for air travel, measured in revenue passenger-
kilometers (RPKs), reached 94% of 2019 levels, highlighting passengers' continued reliance on air
transportation despite these challenges.
Similarly, at the Airports’ front, according to ACI World, global passenger traic in 2023 stood at
approximately 93.8% of the respective 2019 volumes. The Asia/Paciic region saw a signiicant increase
of 72.2% in passenger traic compared to 2022, though it remained the slowest recovering region, still
lagging 2019 by 16.3%. Latin America and the Middle East experienced growth compared to 2019, with
an increase of 5.9% and 3.7%, respectively. Europe, while recovering, still lagged 2019 levels by -6.2%.
Africa and North America reached 99.8% and 99.4% of 2019 levels, indicating that these two regions
have nearly achieved full recovery.
Aircraft movements were slightly slower to rebound, reaching 93% of 2019 levels. The Asia/Paciic
region was again the slowest to recover in terms of aircraft movements, down -14.1% compared to
2019 but up 37.6% compared to 2022, as travel restrictions were lifted in early 2023. In Europe, aircraft
movements were behind 2019 by 9.7%, with the Middle East being the only region growing by 4.8%
compared to 2019.
Among European airports, London LHR, Istanbul IST and Paris CDG led the passenger traic rankings.
Compared to the 2022 rankings, London LHR reclaimed the top spot from Istanbul IST, with a growth
of 28.5% since 2022, while Istanbul fell to second place with a growth of +18.3% in passenger traic;
Paris CDG remained at the third place. In 2019, London LHR, Paris CDG and Amsterdam occupied the
top-3 positions, with Istanbul IST ranking 7th. Istanbul IST together with Istanbul SAW were the only two
airports from the top 10 list that in 2023 exceeded their 2019 levels.
Analysing traic development at major European airports, i.e. those with over 25 million passengers
annually in 2019, Athens International Airport recovered faster than all comparable airports except
Istanbul IST, in terms of both passengers and movements, with an increase of 10.2% and 7.1%,
respectively, compared to 2019, well above the respective European average declines of -7.7% and
-11.4%.
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caused by Covid-19, with air travel demand nearly returning to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Despite this
progress, the industry faced new macroeconomic and operational challenges, including soaring jet fuel
prices and geopolitical tensions in regions like Ukraine and the Middle East, impacting international
operations. According to IATA, industry-wide demand for air travel, measured in revenue passenger-
kilometers (RPKs), reached 94% of 2019 levels, highlighting passengers' continued reliance on air
transportation despite these challenges.
Similarly, at the Airports’ front, according to ACI World, global passenger traic in 2023 stood at
approximately 93.8% of the respective 2019 volumes. The Asia/Paciic region saw a signiicant increase
of 72.2% in passenger traic compared to 2022, though it remained the slowest recovering region, still
lagging 2019 by 16.3%. Latin America and the Middle East experienced growth compared to 2019, with
an increase of 5.9% and 3.7%, respectively. Europe, while recovering, still lagged 2019 levels by -6.2%.
Africa and North America reached 99.8% and 99.4% of 2019 levels, indicating that these two regions
have nearly achieved full recovery.
Aircraft movements were slightly slower to rebound, reaching 93% of 2019 levels. The Asia/Paciic
region was again the slowest to recover in terms of aircraft movements, down -14.1% compared to
2019 but up 37.6% compared to 2022, as travel restrictions were lifted in early 2023. In Europe, aircraft
movements were behind 2019 by 9.7%, with the Middle East being the only region growing by 4.8%
compared to 2019.
Among European airports, London LHR, Istanbul IST and Paris CDG led the passenger traic rankings.
Compared to the 2022 rankings, London LHR reclaimed the top spot from Istanbul IST, with a growth
of 28.5% since 2022, while Istanbul fell to second place with a growth of +18.3% in passenger traic;
Paris CDG remained at the third place. In 2019, London LHR, Paris CDG and Amsterdam occupied the
top-3 positions, with Istanbul IST ranking 7th. Istanbul IST together with Istanbul SAW were the only two
airports from the top 10 list that in 2023 exceeded their 2019 levels.
Analysing traic development at major European airports, i.e. those with over 25 million passengers
annually in 2019, Athens International Airport recovered faster than all comparable airports except
Istanbul IST, in terms of both passengers and movements, with an increase of 10.2% and 7.1%,
respectively, compared to 2019, well above the respective European average declines of -7.7% and
-11.4%.
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